Wartime History On December 10, 1941 the Japanese Army "Kanno Detachment" departing from Mako, Pescadores lands at Vigan. The force begins marching and using trucks to move northward and occupies Laoag two
days later. Occupied by the Japanese and used as a port and base area. Unlike other cities in the Philippines, Vigan escaped heavy
bombing by American aircraft, saving most of the city's historic Spanish and prewar buildings.